President Trump Makes Unexpected Comment on Treatment of Michael Flynn

On Monday morning, President Trump defended his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. According to Trump, the FBI treated him "very unfair" by charging him with a crime for lying to the F.B.I. while letting Hillary Clinton off the hook.

When asked to comment on his former national security adviser being charged with a crime, Trump said that he feels "very badly" about it, adding that "he'd led a very strong life."

"I will say this, Hillary Clinton lied many times to the F.B.I. and nothing happened to her. Flynn lied and they destroyed his life," he added. "I think it’s a shame.”

According to The Hill, President Trump made this comment before departing for Utah, where he is scheduled to make a speech.

President Trump's former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, pleaded guilty on Friday morning for lying to the F.B.I. about conversations with the Russians last December. The conversation occurred with a Russian ambassador during the presidential transition.

According to to the New York Times, Flynn's plea brings the special counsel investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 elections "into Trump's inner circle." More specifically, the charges indicate that Flynn was cooperating with the special counsel, but also that he was engaging in questionable behavior, especially in lying to the F.B.I.

This moment comes at a very difficult time for President Trump. With the economy booming, the stock market soaring, and the Republican tax plan gaining enough votes to pass, things were looking very good for President Trump. Indeed, his campaign promise to lower taxes — particularly the corporate tax, which is very high compared to other industrialized nations — was coming into completion. Now, however, the mainstream media will surely refuse to cover the full extent of Trump's economic agenda and focus on recent news about Michael T. Flynn and Russia.

As the New York Times puts it, the news "marked an unwelcome headline at a time when the president’s team is hoping to focus public attention on what they argue is an impressive list of accomplishments in his first year."

In October, Trump's former presidential campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was alleged to be conspiring to defraud the US in his negotiations and interactions with Ukraine. Moreover, it was also revealed that an ex-aide, George Papadopoulos, pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.

Fox News reports that Flynn is the fourth person charged in connection with Mueller's investigation. In particular, Mueller's team announced charges last month against three other Trump campaign officials, consisting of former chairman Paul Manafort and his business partner Rick Gates, as well as former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos.

Flynn was forced to resign in February after Donald Trump and the White House claimed that he misled them about whether he had discussed sanctions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

It was just reported a White House lawyer, Ty Cobb, released a statement about Flynn's guilty plea. The lawyer reminds readers that Flynn was not somebody necessarily picked by Trump, but was somebody who was previously a White House official under Barack Obama. The statement then points out that Flynn was fired from the White House for false statements.

"Nothing about this guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn," reads the statement.

"The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel's work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion," continues the statement.